The president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in the Message to the people of Kazakhstan from March 1, 2006 has emphasized, that Kazakhstan is ready to operate as one of the centers of intercultural and interconfessional dialogue at the international level.
Under the initiative of the Head of state in September, 2003 in Astana passed the First Congress of the leaders of world and traditional religions. In some days already in second time in Astana will gather religious, and also public and political figures from many countries of the world to discuss urgent questions of universal safety, major problems interconfessional, interethnic and interstate relations.
The second Congress of the leaders of world and traditional religions, certainly, becomes the important event in conditions, when more and more clear becomes a necessity of constructive and constant dialogue between confessions, peoples, and civilizations. The participants of Congress will have an opportunity directly to address to the representatives of all religions and confessions and through them to call all people of good will at the decision of all major questions of mutual relation between human communities to be guided by principles toleration and humanism.
Before the Second Congress chief Rabbi of Republic of Kazakhstan Yeshaya Kogen shares his opinion on a role of our country as participant of global process of an establishment of the constructive relations between civilizations and confessions in the modern world:
- On my sight, Kazakhstan can and has not only aspiration, but also right, - to be the centre of interconfessional dialogue. In general I am convinced: to speak about the peace and consent the right has only those who support the world and consent. In a history of Kazakhstan there were no conflicts on religious ground, because Kazakh people have toleration, inherited from ancestors.
I should trip much, I visit many countries of the world and I know that Kazakhstan has already become a symbol of the peace and consent for all peoples, because here representatives of more than hundred nationalities amicably live.
Certainly, the policy of the state is very important. Government of the country, Chief of state has defined and have ratified as major priority maintenance of stability and peace in Kazakhstan society. Kazakhstanians live in reliance, that the world and consent in the country will not be broken by anybody.
Certainly, many things depend on politicians, on the state, but the most important is that the Kazakh people have toleration, tolerance, which was brought up in it during centuries. And now Kazakhstanians bring up children in spirit of tolerance in relation to the representatives of other nations and religions. Kazakhstan still remains as unique republic from all former Soviet Union, where there is no war, conflicts. Here is a respect of the people to each other. As it is told: "Will sow kindness - will reap the kindness".
In Kazakhstan today lives not less than 40 thousand Jews. Many from them in the Soviet time were compelled to hide the national belonging. Now they cease to disappear, our community grows from day to day. And it is also attribute that interethnic, interconfessional relations in Kazakhstan develop in a normal, civilized channel. But at the international level it is not enough. It is necessary, those all over the world relation between the peoples, between confessions was under construction on principles toleration and inter respect.
Imagine that the man has bought the ticket on the motor ship and in the cabin makes a hole in a board of a vessel. He can say that it is his personal business, but we you see know, that in result can sink everybody. Such events, as act of terrorism on September 11, 2001 in America, force to reflect everybody. Everywhere can take place the same, and already occurs. Religious extremism is a threat for all mankind.
And, if today Kazakhstan offers to gather all together and to solve such questions, it is just because Kazakhstan is an example for others.
We can learn others how live without the conflicts. And that on Congress the delegations from so many countries of the world gather, says about recognition by world community of our experience. FromIsrael there will arrive both chief Rabbis, though it is usual they do not leave from the country simultaneously, and on the important measures one represents interests of another. It means that they highlight the Congress. It speaks about a high level of trust to Kazakhstan.
When three years ago President Nursultan Nazarbayev told, that in Astana will be constructed Palace of the peace and consent, not everybody believed this. And today we see this Palace and we can work in it just in some days. The trust of world community to our President steadily grows, because his words and actions correspond.
The congress of the leaders of world and traditional religions is very important with that at the same table the representatives of various religious and public movements will gather. Certainly, from a tribune of Congress will be declared, that is necessary to trust in God. But more it is necessary to speak and about what requires God from the man. And we shall speak that second commandment says: "Do not kill ".
It is necessary, that everybody, even the non-believers, knew, that this commandment will be observed. That each man was sure, that he can quietly reach the house, not being afraid, that someone, being covered the false religious slogans, can attack him. I consider that it is necessary to say about it, first of all, on Congress.